From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, February 27, 2024
Saudi Arabia denies commerce minister held formal meeting with Israeli counterpart Barkat
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ABU DHABI — Saudi Arabia denies that a meeting took place between its commerce minister and his Israeli counterpart, after a viral video showed their interaction on the sidelines of a World Trade Organization conference in Abu Dhabi.
The kingdom’s state news agency SPA reports, citing an official Saudi source, that Commerce Minister Majid bin Abdullah Al-Qasabi was standing alongside his Nigerian counterpart when “an unknown individual approached the minister to offer greetings.”
He “later identified himself as the minister of economy in the Israeli occupation government,” SPA says, quoting the official Saudi source.
Economy Minister Nir Barkat mentioned the interaction earlier Monday, voicing confidence that the countries can “make history together,” his office said.
Trade ministers from around the world gathered on Monday for the four-day WTO meeting which aims to set new global commerce rules.
The interaction between Qasabi and Barkat was a rarity given the lack of formal relations between their countries, though the United States has sought to bring them closer.
The source also stresses the kingdom’s “steadfast stance on the Palestinian cause and its support for the resilience of the Palestinian people against Israeli aggression,” according to SPA.
The Times of Israel Community.